FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Arto Brick Launches David Shipley Collection
in Collaboration with Renowned Los Angeles Artist
Los Angeles, CA, January 30, 2015 — Arto Brick, Southern California-based creators of hand-crafted tiles, brick veneer and pavers for residential, commercial and public applications, announces a unique collaboration with acclaimed local visual artist David Shipley.
Since 1966, Arto Brick’s in-house artisans have been hand-crafting small batches of product made from locally sourced clay and concrete. Unlike mass-produced, machine-made products, every Arto brick veneer, tile, and paver offers its own unique texture, color, variation and human warmth. Arto’s ongoing collaboration with critically acclaimed painter and sculptor Shipley reflects the company’s passion for creating products that are as beautiful and as individual as they are functional.
“I was first introduced to David Shipley’s work 18 years ago, when he used our concrete tiles in murals he was creating for LA homes,” recalls Armen Alajian who, along with his brother, Vod Alajian, is the second-generation owner of this family-run operation. “We’ve been talking about collaborating on a project ever since we first saw David’s amazing work. When we were establishing our ceramic division, we realized we now had the perfect canvas for David’s dynamic and arresting painting style.”
As a result of this collaboration, Arto Brick has introduced an innovative new collection of ceramic tiles featuring Shipley’s distinctive abstract paintings. “It’s not uncommon for producers in our industry to collaborate with designers,” explains Alajian. “But we are one of the only ones to collaborate with a renowned established painter like David. Now our customers will be able to bring David’s art into their homes. We’re incredibly excited about that.”
“Visual artists seldom collaborate on projects,” adds Shipley. “Our time is more often spent in a studio, waiting for commissions from collectors or for exhibitions of our work to go on display. That’s why I’m excited about my work being seen in people’s homes, on their floors, their walls, their patios, and not just on gallery walls. It has been a tremendous experience.”
Shipley is now working with Arto Brick to create an exclusive collection of textured tiles, ceramic paintings, tableware and a range of household items featuring the artist’s recognizable interplay of vibrant color, movement and emotion.
“I started experimenting at the Arto factory with glazes on tiles and acrylic paint on concrete tiles,” says Shipley. “As I experimented, the images and colors soon took on a life of their own. The firing process changes the piece completely. There is always an element of surprise in this medium.”
“We have always been enthusiastic about crafting products that enhance people’s living spaces, that create atmosphere, bring warmth to the home and have a life of their own,” concludes Alajian. “Our David Shipley Collection is an extension of this creative effort, and we’re confident our customers will love having these artistic pieces as part of their family. I look forward to seeing our collaboration with David evolve even as we create and offer other products.”
To view the David Shipley Collection, call (310) 768-8500 or email info@blog.arto.com to schedule a personal tour.
###
About Arto Brick
Founded in 1966 by Arto Alajian — an industrial designer with an artist’s heart — Arto Brick’s story began in a small studio equipped with a single kiln. Nearly 50 years later, Arto floors, walls and hardscapes can be found breathing life and warmth into distinctive living spaces across the country.
While Arto’s product lines and collections have continued to evolve, and its reach has continued to grow, the family-run operation still shares the same passion that went into the very first brick veneer that came out of its kiln: To create extraordinary, unique and beautiful products that become a part of the living spaces they enhance.
Today, Arto Brick continues to hand-craft small-batch ceramic and concrete tiles, brick veneers and pavers from their Gardena, CA headquarters, using locally sourced materials and adopting environmentally responsible practices. No two Arto Brick products are the same, and each one delivers its own Rustic Elegance that comes from having been crafted by artisans rather than machines.
About David Shipley
Even as a child growing up in Lubbock, TX, David Shipley never stopped drawing and painting. Focused on establishing himself as a skilled painter and sculptor, his formal art training included studying at the Cornish School of the Arts, the University of Texas/Austin, Texas Tech University/Lubbock, and Cal State/Long Beach.
Now a California Artist, Shipley’s work strives to harness the visceral impact of abstract art so that it might best express his personal outlook on life. Shipley has long been fascinated by color contrasts and their ability to invoke reaction and incite emotion. By applying a vibrant color scheme to his intense paintings and sculptures, his quixotic artwork is often somehow both kinetic and soothing at the same time.
Exhibiting since 1980, Mr. Shipley has had a dozen solo exhibitions and has participated in more than fifteen group shows. He maintains a studio in Southern California and has recently introduced a full line of dynamic ceramic paintings into the repertoire of his work. Learn more at DavidShipley.net.